


The Chariot

by TouchingOldMagic



Series: Ghostbusters 30 Day Challenge [29]
Category: Ghostbusters (Comics), Ghostbusters - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Missing Scene, Road Trips, The power of friendship, teasing peter is always a fun time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-07-06
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:13:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25124476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TouchingOldMagic/pseuds/TouchingOldMagic
Summary: Day 29 of the Ghostbusters 30 Day ChallengePrompt: Alternate HeadquartersTakes place during the IDW comics 'Haunted America' storyline. While driving across country in their converted RV, Ray and Peter chat about the future.
Series: Ghostbusters 30 Day Challenge [29]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1779643
Kudos: 3





	The Chariot

**Author's Note:**

> I am madly in love with the Ecto-2 and also with the idea of the boys traveling around the country in an RV-Containment-Unit-on-wheels. Counts as alternate headquarters, right?

"You sure you're going to be okay, man?"

"I'll be fine! Really."

"I'm serious. No stopping. If I wake up and find out we're parked so you could sneak off to look under a bridge for trolls--"

"I swear, Winston! You saw the map." Ray took one hand off the wheel to gesture to the accordion of paper that had cascaded off the dash and onto the floor. "There's nothing but interstate for the next six hours, at least."

Winston cast the driver a suspicious look. Ray peeked up at him with his most innocent expression before quickly returning his eyes to the road.

"All right. If you're sure." The marine stretched his arms behind his head. "Then I'm getting some shut eye. I'm beat."

"Sleep tight," Ray replied cheerfully.

\--

The nighttime hours ticked by at a slow and steady pace. They were driving through farm country, where almost everyone went to bed early to rise early. They rarely saw another vehicle on the road at this hour. On the interstate there were no street lights; the only illumination came from Ecto-2 and the pinpricks of stars overhead.

Yellow dotted lines and asphalt appeared from the darkness into the glow of the headlights and disappeared just as quickly as they ate up the miles. It was almost as if the universe didn't exist anymore, like they were suspended in an alternate dimension of blackness, and what came into Ray's field of vision was being created as it appeared and destroyed as they left it behind.

Ray Stantz was deeply satisfied with the way things were going. Traveling to new places, having new experiences. The ghosts of the countryside were different than the spirits of the city, just like people themselves differed depending on where they came from. Ray was learning a lot, absorbing it all, and he was with his best friends. Life was pretty good.

The sound of movement made him glance over his shoulder briefly.

Winston was stretched out on the bottom of the two stacked cots they had installed on the left side of the RV. He had an arm thrown over his face, although Ray didn't think the low interior lights were bothering him. On the right side of the RV, Egon had pulled out the sofa bed. He preferred that to the cots, even though his stocking feet extended past the bottom of the short mattress.

Peter had forgone both the cots and the pull-out bed. Instead he was slouched low in the one comfortable chair the RV had, feet propped up on the kitchenette table in front of him.

Peter got up from the chair he had been sleeping in, stretched out his shoulder muscles, then picked up a coffee mug that had been tucked into the cup holder on the arm of the chair. Ray returned his eyes to the road, bit back a chuckle as he heard Peter start to mutter dire threats to his cold coffee.

To Ray's surprise, the psychologist didn't head toward the microwave but instead ambled up beside Ray and sank into the passenger seat beside him. He sunk down low, put his feet up on the dash, and resumed the posture he had held in the chair. But this time his eyes were decidedly open.

Keeping his voice pitched low to not disturb his teammates, Ray said in surprise, "Peter, your shift isn't for another three hours, why're you awake?"

A shrug. "You try sleeping in this rust bucket, Ray," he grumbled.

Ray rolled his eyes good-naturedly and didn't comment. This was the fourth night of their cross country trek and they had all been sleeping in the 'rust bucket.' But Peter wasn't the type to take to the idea of roughing it, and Ray knew the trip was starting to wear on him.

They drove in silence for a time, the yellow painted lines and the clock on the dash the only things that seemed to be moving in their little suspended universe of darkness.

"Things are going good, aren't they?" Peter said abruptly. "Kid says the franchise in Chicago's okay. We're getting called out to traipse all over the U.S., coast to coast. Might have to pick up some new recruits if things keep picking up like Spengs says they will."

"Yeah, it's great." Ray nodded, wondering where Peter was leading to.

The psychologist gazed out the windshield, his face lit in green from the lights of the equipment they had installed in the dash.

"We're growing the business. Makes me think."

"You were talking about franchises before we even got started," Ray reminded him.

Peter's eyes shifted from the road over to the driver. "I talk about a lot of things," he grunted, which was Peter-speak for 'I wasn't being serious.'

Ray leaned back in his seat to get more comfortable. "I don't think it's a bad thing," he said carefully, still keeping his voice down. "Every job we do teaches us something. We're getting to a point where we can cover all this, you know? We're on top of it."

Ray's boundless enthusiasm was a helpful thing, some of the time. Peter knew he depended on it and used it as a solid foundation to brace his back up against when he needed to. But for all that, he wasn't sure if this restlessness was something his teammate could understand. He wasn't even sure if he could put the aimless prickling that had been cruising through his mind the past few days into words.

Ray suddenly chuckled, and Peter looked over. "You gotta let things go sometimes, Venkman," he said, with such surety that Peter's eyebrows canted up in surprise. "When it was just the four of us you could keep an eye on everything, but with us expanding, you gotta loosen the reins. You can't be in charge of everything."

Peter's eyes widened for a moment, though he covered the surprised expression by rubbing at his eyes sleepily. Something shifted in him mentally as pieces fell into place with Ray's words. Instead of saying so, he put his hands on his chest and let his face fall into a stunned expression. "Me? In charge? Ray, that sounds suspiciously like responsibility, and you know I don't go in for that crap."

Ray scoffed. "Oh yeah, I know. Never have your nose in anything, that's so you."

Peter sniffed delicately. "Being nosy and being responsible are two completely separate things."

Ray innocently agreed. "Sure, Pete. Don't worry, your secret's safe with me."

"That's it, I'm going back to bed." Peter stood up and grabbed one elbow with the opposite hand to stretch his shoulder muscles, carefully avoiding the monitors and machines Ray and Egon had stuffed into the Ecto-2 at every angle. "Maybe we should see about swinging by Chicago on our way back," he said. "See how Hoss is really doing."

Ray glanced away from the road to look up and check Peter's expression. Whatever he saw made him grin. "That's a good idea. I'll give him a call tomorrow. I mean, later today." His eyes darted to the clock.

"You do that. I'm gonna sleep. Try to avoid the potholes, will ya?"

**Author's Note:**

> Can't believe tomorrow is my last one! What a ride~


End file.
